Spanish History: Second Republic, Franco Era, and Transition
The Second Republic: 1931 Constitution and Reforms (1931-1985)
Topic: The Second Republic: 1931 Constitution and Reforms (1931-1985)
1- Provisional Government
- The proclamation of the 2nd Republic, 14 April 1931
- 1931 Constitution in December
2- The Reformist Biennium
- The reforms programme:
- The agrarian reform (Law in September 1932)
- The reform of the army
- The labour reform (Largo Caballero)
- The education reform
- The autonomous regions (Statute of Catalonia Sept 1932)
- Opposition to the government
- The Sanjurjada
Spain’s Parliamentary Crisis: WWI, Social Unrest & Dictatorship
2. Crisis of parliamentarism The impact of the First World War. At the outbreak of World War I, the government of Eduardo Dato declares neutrality. Despite the political neutrality, social sectors are divided into two camps: aliadófilos and Germanophiles. This division is also reflected in the Conservative and Liberal parties. This neutrality promotes the expansion of the economy. Spain supplies countries at war with raw materials and industrial products. While the bourgeoisie is enriched by the
Read MoreSpanish Political System & 19th Century Conflicts
The Cánovas Political System and its Characteristics
With the military pronunciamiento of Martínez Campos in 1874, the Cánovas political system arose. It was based on the conservative Constitution of 1876, the Crown, the moderating power of the army, and the support of the upper classes. The system’s objectives were to bring stability and order, end army interference in political life, and pacify the country. This was achieved through the end of the Carlist War in 1876, which produced the abolition
Read MoreThe Enlightenment: Key Thinkers and Their Impact
The Enlightenment: A Transformative Era
The Enlightenment was a significant cultural movement, spearheaded by philosophers who challenged absolutism. Originating in Britain and France, its influence spread throughout Europe and the Americas. Enlightenment thinkers championed rational and critical analysis of society, viewing reason as the key to dispelling the darkness of ignorance. They firmly believed in unlimited progress, positing that happiness was attainable if individuals were free and acted
Read MorePost-World War I: Treaties, Instability, and Totalitarianism
The Organization of Peace After World War I
In November 1918, the armistice ended World War I. In January 1919, a conference was held in Paris to determine the conditions of peace. The Treaty of Versailles was especially harsh on the defeated country, Germany. Germany was considered solely responsible for the war and was subjected to conditions such as:
- Loss of territories in Europe and its colonies.
- Reduction of the army and military capabilities.
- Payment of large reparations to the victors.
Between
Read MoreKey Events and Figures of 19th and 20th Century Europe
The First World War
- Archduke Franz Ferdinand: On the 28th of June 1914, Ferdinand and his wife were killed in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip. The killer supported a Greater Serbia, free from Austrian rule.
- In response, Austria-Hungary, backed by Germany, issued an ultimatum to Serbia. Serbia rejected it, and on the 28th of July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
- Russia mobilized its military to support Serbia. Germany declared war on France and Russia. Britain declared war on Germany and Austria-